Building block for space-based phased array

1. A method of providing an array module for a phased array, the method comprising:

forming a horn antenna using a polymer material;

forming a waveguide filter including separately molding a first piece and a second piece;

coupling the horn antenna to the waveguide filter to form an aperture layer; and

coupling the aperture layer to a circuit layer,

wherein:

the horn antenna comprises a square horn, and

forming the waveguide filter comprises forming a folded-back waveguide for coupling to the horn antenna at one end and to the circuit layer at another end.

2. The method of claim 1 , further comprising forming a polarizer layer by stacking a plurality of films and separating the films using foam spacers.

3. The method of claim 1 , wherein separately molding the first and the second piece comprise using a glass filled polymer, and wherein the method further comprises bonding the first piece to the second piece using a silver filed epoxy.

4. The method of claim 1 , further comprising coating the horn antenna and the waveguide filter using multiple copper layers and an anti-corrosion finish layer.

5. The method of claim 1 , wherein forming the horn antenna comprises using a glass-filled resin, and wherein a thin wall thickness of the horn antenna is less than about 0.5 mm, and wherein an aperture of the horn antenna is within a range of about 50-70 mm.

6. The method of claim 1 , further comprising coupling the circuit layer to a tile layer using a subarray distribution layer, wherein the subarray distribution layer includes radio-frequency (RF), optical, digital and DC power components.

7. The method of claim 1 , further comprising electrically coupling a tile layer to a host system using electrical connectors of the tile layer to communicate signals including RF, optical, power and control signals to and from the host system, wherein the host system includes a space vehicle.

8. A phase array comprising:

a plurality of subarrays, each of the plurality of subarrays comprising a plurality of array modules, each array module comprising:

an aperture layer comprising a horn antenna and a waveguide filter; and

a circuit layer coupled to the aperture layer;

wherein:

each of the plurality of subarrays is thermally and spatially isolated with a clearance gap to reduce thermal distortion effects,

the waveguide filter comprises a first and a second piece separately molded, and

the waveguide filter comprises a folded-back waveguide coupled to the horn antenna at one end and to the circuit layer at another end.

9. The phase array of claim 8 , wherein the horn antenna comprises a square horn antenna made of a polymer material including a glass-filled resin and has a thin wall thickness of less than about 1 mm, and wherein an aperture of the square horn antenna is within a range of about 50-70 mm.

10. The phase array of claim 8 , wherein a count of the plurality of array modules is scalable with varying horn aperture spacing, and wherein a design of the plurality of array modules allows application of automated manufacturing techniques.

11. The phase array of claim 8 , wherein each of the plurality of array modules is has a multilayer structure with mechanical couplings that pass through the multilayer structure to form a continuous heat load path with reduced number of fasteners.

12. The phase array of claim 8 , wherein each of the first and the second piece comprise a molded glass filled polymer and are bonded together using a silver filed epoxy, and wherein the waveguide filter comprises multiple plated copper layers and an anti-corrosion finish layer.

13. The phase array of claim 8 , wherein the circuit layer is coupled to a tile layer using a subarray distribution layer, wherein the circuit layer is independently testable, and wherein the phased array further comprises interposers configured to electrically connect circuit layers of the plurality of array modules.